


Crazy Scary Love

by 50251sid



Category: The Borgias, The Borgias (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Psychological Torture, Sibling Incest, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-13
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-04 13:18:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50251sid/pseuds/50251sid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Juan Borgia falls in love, with most unfortunate results</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Scent of Love Gone Sour

_Your efforts to make me love you can be summed up thusly:_

_I am a diabetic and you bring me penicillin._

_When I fail to respond, you get angry._

_I am ungrateful. I appreciate nothing._

_Did you not bring me medicine? What more do I want?_

 

Lucrezia Borgia’s friend, Mary Margaret Malloy, has thick, lush chestnut brown hair.

Lucrezia’s brother, Juan, finds Mary Margaret intriguing and begs to be fixed up with her. 

“No, Juan.  I know the kind of women you date.  Mary Margaret isn’t like that.  She’s a nice girl.”

“So help me turn over a new leaf.  Come on, Sis.  I’d really like to go out with her.”

“Somehow I can’t see myself as a good friend by getting her involved with you.”

“Sis, I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman.  You’ll see.  You’ll be proud of me.”

“You like her that much?  Why?”

“Because she’s pretty, and has nice manners and seems to have read a book or two.”

“Very different from your usual bimbos.”

“I told you.  I want to turn over a new leaf.  Date someone respectable.  Come on.  Fix me up.”

 

Mary Margaret agrees to a date with Juan, provided it’s a double with Lucrezia and her escort.  Of course, Lucrezia’s escort is her other brother, Cesare, who does driving duty for the couples.

They have dinner at a quiet restaurant.  Juan’s behavior is so restrained that his siblings wonder if he has sent a lookalike in his place.  He has a single glass of wine.  He is courteous and attentive to Mary Margaret, making pleasant conversation and seeing to her every need.  He opens doors for her.   He compliments her.  He keeps his hands to himself. 

“Holy God, Cesare,” Lucrezia whispers.  “Juan must really like Mary Margaret.  I’ve never seen him so well behaved.”

After dinner, they attend an artsy production of “The Tempest.” 

Mary Margaret is enthralled by the play.  Juan neither rolls his eyes nor sighs loudly in boredom.  Afterwards, he discusses the performance with intelligence and good taste. 

“Holy God, Cesare.”  Lucrezia whispers.  “Juan must be in love.”

They stop for a nightcap.  Juan has a single beer. 

While Lucrezia and Cesare remain in the car, Juan walks Mary Margaret to her door and gives her a chaste kiss on the cheek. 

“Holy God, Cesare,” Lucrezia whispers.  “Juan must be sick.”

 

The date proves so successful that, when Juan asks Mary Margaret to the art museum with him on Saturday afternoon, she accepts happily.  As they view the various paintings and sculpture, Juan makes no lewd remarks about the nude figures.  He escorts Mary Margaret gallantly with his hand lightly touching the small of her back in a most genteel fashion.  He pulls out a chair for her in the museum café when they stop for coffee.  When she crosses her long, shapely legs, Juan does not ogle them more than is acceptable.  They chat warmly.  Mary Margaret likes the look of Juan’s fine boned face and large brown eyes and killer smile.  She slips her hand through the crook of his elbow when they leave the museum and walk to the car.  He kisses her cheek when he takes her home.

 

For their third date, Juan takes Mary Margaret to a well-reviewed foreign film and then for an elegant late dinner.  They linger over wine and converse softly.  He kisses her lips gently when he says good night.

 

Juan now considers Mary Margaret his girlfriend.

 

When the next weekend approaches, Juan calls Mary Margaret to tell her that he has tickets to take her to a performance of “Carmina Burana.”

“Oh, Juan, I’m sorry.  I had previous plans.”

“What plans?  With whom?  How come you didn’t tell me?”

“I had made plans with a friend.”

“What friend?”

“A girlfriend.  You don’t know her.”

“Well, can’t you cancel?  I bought tickets!”

“Juan, it’s her birthday.  No, I can’t cancel.  I had no idea you were going to get concert tickets.”

“When we were having dinner the other night, you mentioned wanting to see it.  I pay attention to everything you say.”

“That’s very kind of you.  Couldn’t you ask someone else to go with you?”

“I wanted to go with _you!_ I don’t know anyone else who likes that sort of shi … thing.  That sort of thing.”

“Juan, I’m truly sorry.  I wish you had checked with me before you bought the tickets.”

“You should have checked with me before you made plans with someone else.”

_“What?”_

“Well, never mind.  I’ll just come with you then.”

“No, Juan.  It’s a girls’ night out.  Women only.  And what do you mean I should have checked with you?”

“Now that we’re together, I expect to be asked when you want to go somewhere other than with me.”

“Juan, we need to get something straight here.  We are not together.  We went out a couple of times.  That’s all.”

“Not together?  Of course we’re together.”

“I like you, Juan.  I like you a lot.  But you’re getting ahead of yourself.  We had a few dates.  They were nice.  But that doesn’t mean I’m committed to you.”

“So you led me on?”

“No!  I’m sorry if that’s how you feel.  I really enjoy your company.  I’d like to see you again.  But it’s much too soon to say we’re a couple.”

“Do you have any idea what I did for you?  I went on those boring-ass dates with you to make you happy and this is how you show your appreciation?  By kicking me to the curb?”

“Juan, this is getting creepy.  Listen, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other anymore.  You’ve got the wrong idea about our relationship and it’s scaring me.”

“Scaring you?  You’re scared of me?  Of me?  Mary Margaret, I would never hurt you.  I love you!”

“Juan, you can’t possibly love me.  We barely know each other.”

“I know that I love you.  You can’t shut me out.  Please, Mary Margaret.”

“Juan, this is crazy.  I’m hanging up now.”

“Mary Margaret, no!  Don’t hang up.”

The line goes dead.  Juan redials.  The phone rings.  And rings.  And rings.


	2. Head Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein different types of head games are played

Cesare Borgia loves to be in bed with his sister while she is giving him head.  He grasps handfuls of her blonde curls and groans with intense pleasure as his peak approaches.  He and Lucrezia have intended to devote several hours to mutual gratification of their desires. 

The loud chiming of her cell phone on the nightstand is not welcome.

“Son of a bitch!” 

He is about to fling the phone across the room, but Lucrezia rescues it, abandoning Cesare’s rampant cock. 

“It’s Mary Margaret.  I have to get this.  Hey, Triple M!  Whassup?”

 

Cesare flops back onto the pillows, fuming. 

“I used to like her,” he grumbles.

Lucrezia’s brow furrows. 

“He did _what?_ Oh, for God’s sake!”

Cesare tries to reclaim Lucrezia’s focus by nuzzling her lovely, round breasts.  She strokes his dark hair and kisses his forehead in appreciation.

“I knew it was a bad idea to hook you up with him.  Sorry for this.  No, of course you didn’t do anything wrong.  Let me take care of it.  I’ll call you later.  Really, don’t give it another thought.  It will be okay.  Bye now.”

Cesare places Lucrezia’s hand on his neglected cock. 

“What did that stupid shit Juan do now?”

He covers her hand with his and guides it.  The Creator has endowed Cesare with abundant and impressive physical gifts, his cock not the least of them. 

“He’s decided that Mary Margaret is exclusively his.  She had plans with a friend this weekend and he’s given her all sorts of grief about it.  Oh, Cesare….don’t stop…told her he expects her to clear it with him before she does anything.  She doesn’t want to see him anymore.  Oh God, Cesare, you are so hot!”

He kisses her, his lips clinging to hers.  He increases the tempo of her hand on him.

“Mmm….oh, my baby!  I’ll talk to him…stupid shit…oh, baby…suck me.  Now…”

“I love you, Cesare…”

Nothing interrupts them this time.

 

Cesare is in such a cheerful frame of mind from his time with Lucrezia that he is reluctant to confront Juan, the pissy Prince of Darkness.  He has promised his beloved that he will talk to their brother, but he would have promised anything to have her lips on his dick again.  Well, his word is his word….

“What the fuck, Juan?  I hear you messed things up good with Mary Margaret.”

“I didn’t mess up anything.  She’s decided to play games with me.  Bitch.”

“You seem to think there’s more to your relationship than she does.  Don’t you think you’re moving a little too quickly?”

“I’m just going on what she put out there.”

“Juan, you only had a couple of dates.”

“That’s all we needed.  We made a connection.”

“I don’t mean to be nosy, but …well, just how much of a connection did you make?”

“If you’re asking about sex, then no.  We didn’t have sex, but only because I restrained myself.”

“ _You_ held back?  She was willing to have sex with you?”

“Oh yes.  She let me kiss her.”

“Um…Juan, there’s a big difference between a kiss and sex.”

“She wanted it.  Believe me, I know.  I could tell.”

“Juan, I think you’re misinterpreting her signals.  She really seems creeped out.”

“She’s playing head games, that’s all.  Typical woman.  Acting hard to get.  Probably thinks I’ll lose respect for her because she was too forward at first.”

“She isn’t the forward type, Juan.  She’s a lady.”

“If you’re referring to her taste in entertainment, then, yes, she’s a lady.  She made me suffer through all that boring shit, which I did, for her.  She was testing me.  I proved my feelings for her.  I know it turned her on.”

Cesare opens his mouth to speak, but cannot find words to address such irrationality.  Juan continues.

“She won’t take my calls.  No doubt wants me to come to her in person so she can get me into bed.  Well, she’s going to have to wait until I feel like it.  I’m maintaining the upper hand in this relationship.”

“Juan, she made it clear to Lucrezia that she doesn’t want to see you again.”

“Can’t you see how these women conspire together?  They’re both playing us.  Honestly, Cesare, how can you be so dumb?  Is Lucrezia’s pussy so intoxicating that it renders you unable to think?”

“Don’t you ever say such things again!  You’re talking about our sister.”

“ _You_ need to remember that she’s your sister.  You think I don’t have ears?  You’re a pretty vocal lover, Cesare.”

“You must be dreaming.”

“You’re the one who’s delusional, if you think I don’t know what’s going on with you two.  Be glad I’m a loyal brother and keep my mouth shut.”

Cesare is cowed.  The best he can manage is to admonish Juan to stay away from Mary Margaret.  And he knows he’s wasting his breath.


	3. Declaration of Hostilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Juan's behavior becomes ugly

Rodrigo Borgia is the president of City Council and wields his power expertly.  Under his administration, the city has prospered and services are provided efficiently and across all neighborhoods.  New businesses and new employers have been brought in.  He is popular among the residents because of his easy charm and ability to connect with them.  A born politician, he loves moving among his constituents and pressing the flesh.  He also loves greasing wheels for his family.  He has been able to do this relatively quietly, except for Juan, for whom he must frequently call in favors.  Rodrigo has installed his younger son into a position on his staff so that he can keep an eye on him, but it’s impossible to keep him under control at all times.  How many speeding tickets has Rodrigo had to have fixed, how many drunken driving arrests expunged?  How many bar fights hushed up?  How many incidents in massage parlors?  When is the boy ever going to learn? 

Cesare and Lucrezia have been publicly well behaved, for the most part, and while Rodrigo appreciates their prudence, he finds himself drawn to his troublesome son.  Juan _needs_ him.  When their mother died all those years ago, Cesare and Lucrezia turned to each other for comfort.  They seem to have no room in their insular little world for Juan.  Rodrigo can see the pain in his boy, the ache to be _loved_.   Granted, sometimes he makes it difficult to love him, but he is just acting out.  With time and patience, he will work through his issues and come around.  Rodrigo is sure of it. 

 

On Monday, when Mary Margaret emerges from the building where she works, Juan gets out of his car, where he has been waiting for her.  He rather enjoys the shock which registers on her face as he approaches her.

“Juan.  I thought I made it plain that I don’t want to see you again.”

“You women are all alike.  Say one thing and mean another.”

“I said it and I meant it.  Please leave.”

“Get in the car.  I’ll drive you home.”

“No, Juan.  I’m not going anywhere with you.  Let me alone.”

“Why are you being this way?  Come on.  I’ll take you to dinner and we can work things out.  Why did you have to involve my brother and sister?  There was no need for that.”

“If you don’t leave, I’ll go back in the building and call security.”

“Honey, you don’t mean that.  You know what a good thing we have.”

“We don’t have anything, Juan.  Where are you getting these ideas?  This is crazy.”

Juan’s smile fades and his voice becomes loud and angry.

“Crazy?  Are you saying I’m crazy?”

“I’m saying that you’re imagining things.  We aren’t together.  I just want you to leave me alone.”

He grips her arms.  His hands are strong.  She struggles to get away.  People are gawking. 

“Juan, please.  You’re making a scene.  Let me go.”

“You’re the one making the scene.  If you’d just get in the fucking car with me, none of this would be happening.”

A security guard emerges from the building and walks over to them. 

“Is there a problem here?”

“This man won’t go away.”

“Come on, Pal.  Leave the lady alone now.  She doesn’t want to be bothered.”

“She’s my girlfriend.  We had a spat.  Now she’s trying to embarrass me.  All I want to do is make up with her.”

“I’m not your girlfriend!  I just want you to leave.  Please.”

“Hey, Buddy.  Listen to the lady.  I really don’t want to have to call a cop.”

Juan’s face freezes. 

“I don’t know why you’re doing this, Mary Margaret.  You’ve really hurt me.  Are you happy now?  All right, I’m going.  But this isn’t over.”

He gets in his car and peels out. 

Mary Margaret thanks the guard for his intervention. 

“Wow, Miss.  That guy seems like some kind of a nut.  Are you gonna be okay?”

“I’m fine now that he’s gone.  Really.  Thank you so much.”

She walks to the bus stop.  She has missed her usual pickup so she has to wait a half hour for the next one.  She is so relieved when she boards that she doesn’t mind having to stand all the way home.

 

Juan is parked outside the next morning when she is about to leave for work.  She sees him through the window and calls the police. 

“There is a man outside my house who seems to be stalking me.  We dated a few times and I called it off.  Now he won’t let me alone.  Please help me.  His name?  Juan Borgia.  B-O-R-G-I-A.  Yes, like the City Council President.  Yes, it’s his son.  Please send someone.  I have to get to work.”

A police car pulls up and two officers get out.  They smile as they approach Juan’s car and he greets them like they are old friends.  They know him well, having driven him home on many occasions when they’d pulled him over for driving erratically.  Mary Margaret sees them converse and her heart sinks.  After a few minutes, Juan starts his car and drives off.  When the officers knock on her door, Mary Margaret answers.  She sees that some of the neighbors are peeping through their windows at the police car. 

“So what’s the trouble, Miss?”

“That man, Juan Borgia.  He’s stalking me.  I don’t want to date him anymore but he won’t leave me alone.”

“Well, we talked to him and he said you asked him to come over this morning to drive you to work.”

“That’s a lie!  I did no such thing.  Please believe me.”

“He’s gone now, Miss.  I don’t think he’ll give you any more trouble.”

“Thank you.”

The officers depart.  Mary Margaret is not reassured.

 

Lucrezia asks Cesare if he had talked to Juan.

“Yeah, I told him to leave Mary Margaret alone.  Why?”

“I don’t think he got the message. He’s been bothering her, showing up at her work and her house.  She even had to call the police.”

“Did that do any good?  All the cops know Juan.  They’ve been babysitting him for years.  He’d have no reason to be afraid of them.”

“Well, they got him to leave her house, at least.  Maybe we should talk to Dad.  This is getting out of hand now.”

“Unless he thinks it will end up on the nightly news, he won’t give a shit.”

“Mary Margaret is our friend.  We have to do something.”

“Well, why don’t _you_ talk to Dad then?  He’s more likely to listen to you than to me.”

“Come with me.  For moral support.”

 “Okay, okay.  We’ll see Dad together.  United front.”

“For our friend.”

“Yes.  For Mary Margaret.”

 

Juan keeps showing up every day outside Mary Margaret’s workplace.  Her employer asks her to take an unpaid leave of absence until the situation is resolved.                

 

Cesare and Lucrezia visit their father at his office in the municipal building.  Lucrezia starts off.

“Daddy, we have a situation.  Involving Juan.  He’s being really stupid.”

“Your brother?  Stupid?  How unkind of you to call him that.”

“Daddy, he’s stalking my friend.  _Stalking_ her! 

“Oh, how could that be?  Juan wouldn’t do any such thing.  He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.”

“He’s showing up wherever she goes.  He follows her.  She’s afraid of him.  He’s already caused her to lose her job.”

“Cesare, do you agree with your sister?”

“I do, Dad.  I tried to talk some sense into him myself, but he just won’t listen to me.  He dated this girl a couple of times and decided she’s his.  She’s a nice girl.  Really nice.  I know Juan likes her but he moved too fast and scared her off.  Now he won’t leave her alone.”

“Juan has always ever just wanted someone to love him.  Lucrezia, can’t you talk to your friend and tell her that about Juan?  See if she’ll give him a second chance.  I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.  When she gets to know the real Juan, she’ll warm up to him.”

“Dad, Lucrezia has talked to Mary Margaret.  She did like Juan at first.  But he got all creepy possessive on her and weirded her out.  He really is irrational about this.  Can you please just talk to him?  Maybe he’ll listen to you and see reason.”

“If it will make you happy, I will talk to him.  If there’s nothing else….”

Outside their father’s office, Lucrezia hugs her brother in gratitude.

“You were wonderful, Cesare.  Thanks.”

“Did I earn me a fuck, maybe?”

“You could have had one anyway, silly.”

 

Rodrigo Borgia sits behind his desk and steeples his fingers as he solemnly regards his son.

“Tell me about this Mary Margaret person.”

“She’s this girl I’ve been dating.  We had a little misunderstanding, but things are working out just fine.”

“Your brother and sister don’t seem to think so.”

Oh, you know them.  They can’t stand to see me happy.”

“They’re worried that you are forcing yourself on this girl.”

“Forcing myself?  Dad, she can’t keep her hands off me.  Listen, it probably drives my dear sister nuts that her brother is making time with her girlfriend.  Anyway, what would Cesare and Lucrezia know about a normal, healthy relationship?”

“What do you mean by that, Juan?”

“Oops!  Did I say that?  Well, I certainly don’t want to tell tales out of school…”

“Juan, finish what you started.  I know you want to tell me something.”

“How can I put this delicately?  My big brother _knows_ our little sister. In the biblical sense.”

Rodrigo blanches. 

“What a disgusting thing to say, Juan!  What possesses you?”

“Cesare possesses Lucrezia, Dad!  He’s been banging her forever.  You don’t see.  You’re never home.  But I am.  I hear the noises at night.  I see them whispering together.  I catch their secret little touches and gropes when they think nobody is looking.  Instead of hauling my ass, maybe you should be taking Cesare to the woodshed.”

Rodrigo sits stunned.  What a nest of vipers he has nurtured in his bosom!  He begins to weep.

“Do you and your siblings hate each other so much that you must try to destroy each other in my eyes?”

“I’m sorry, Dad.  I didn’t want to hurt you.  But it’s only right for me to defend myself against baseless accusations by those who have no room to talk.”

Outside of his father’s office, Juan rolls his eyes in relief.  He really ran through some raindrops this time.  And he has a bone to pick with Mary Margaret over this one.


	4. Skirmishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein warfare is waged

Mary Margaret’s phone rings and wakes her up.  She glances at the clock.  It is 3:30 AM.  She doesn’t recognize the number displayed. 

“H..Hello?”

“Hi, Baby Doll.  Were you dreaming of me?”

“Juan!  What is this?  Why are you calling me?”

“Well, since you don’t have a job to go to in the morning, I thought we could chat awhile.  I’ll tell you about my new phone.”

“Goodbye, Juan.”

“Don’t hang up, Mary Margaret.  If you do, you’ll hurt my feelings and I’ll be forced to do something rash.  Sometimes I get so upset that I can’t control myself and I find myself doing awful things.  I might find myself standing out on your lawn yelling things about you so your neighbors would hear.  About what a whore you are and how you let me screw you.  Or smashing windows.  Even worse, setting fires.  That cute little house of yours would go up in minutes.”

“Juan, please don’t do anything.  I beg you.”

“Will you talk to me then?”

“Juan..”

“I know my own fucking name, Mary Margaret.  Say something I don’t know.  Something I want to hear.”

“What do you want to hear?”

“Well, I saw this newspaper article.  Did you read the paper today, Mary Margaret?  No?  Well, there was this long article.  Let me read it to you.  Do you have a minute?  You weren’t going anywhere anyway, were you?  We have just hours and hours to chat…”

 

Mary Margaret carries a bag of groceries out of the market and heads for the bus stop.  She freezes in terror when she sees Juan’s car parked across the street.  She ducks back into the store and stands by the window, hoping he will go away.  She doesn’t have money for a cab.  She starts to panic.  Her phone rings.  She sighs and answers it.

“Come on out, Baby Doll.  That grocery bag looks heavy.  I’ll take you home and you can invite me in for a nice cup of tea.”

“I don’t need a ride, Juan.  Please just go away and let me catch my bus.”

“My lady take public transportation?  Never!  Come on out before your frozen things thaw.”

“Don’t you have a job or something to go to, Juan?”

“I work for my dad, honey.  I come and go as I please.  I just want to do you a favor and take you home.  Won’t you let me be nice to you?”

Is there a back door she can use?  Someone she can call?  Her heart pounds.  She peeks out through the plate glass window.  Juan’s car is gone.  She will leave the store and go to the bus stop farther down the street where he won’t be expecting her to be. 

She walks down the block, glancing anxiously around her. 

“Hi, Baby Doll.”

Juan rushes up from behind and grabs her arm in a tight grip, wresting her grocery bag from her with his free hand.  He pulls her along the sidewalk.  She wants to struggle and scream but is paralyzed with fear.

Mary Margaret feels as if she is watching a movie of herself being pushed into Juan’s car.  He gets into the driver’s seat and starts the engine. 

“So good to see you.  It’s been too long.  You almost never leave that house of yours.  Don’t you get bored?  Why don’t you let me take you to a concert or something?”

Her eyes fill with tears. 

“Juan, please.  I just want to be left alone.  I never meant for things to go this way.”

“Is this where you say that we can still be friends?  I don’t want to be friends with you.  I want to love you.  _Why can’t you love me?_ ”

“Because I’m afraid of you!”

“Afraid of me?  Now you really have hurt me, Mary Margaret.  Everything I ever did was for you.  I went to all those stupid, boring places just for you.  I never tried to lay a hand on you, even though I knew you were hot for me.  I respected you.  I treated you with kid gloves.  I love you!  How could you be afraid of me?”

He reaches out to caress her cheek.  She flinches.

“God damn it, Mary Margaret!  Did I lay rough hands on you?  Was I harsh?  No!  I barely touched you with the tips of my fingers.  You know, you’re really irrational.  You need help.”

He pulls up in front of Mary Margaret’s house.

“Here you are.  Now was that so terrible?  I’d like to be a gentleman and offer to carry your bag to the house for you, but I don’t want to freak you out, so I’ll just let you get out of the car by yourself.  It was nice to see you, Baby Doll.  I’ll call you soon.”

Mary Margaret is shaking when she walks to her front door.

Juan calmly drives off.

 

The phone rings at 4:00 AM.

 

Mary Margaret turns the corner from the bank where she has gone to cash in a savings bond which her grandmother had given her when she graduated from high school.  Since she has been out of work, she has been financially stressed.  She slams into Juan.  He is muscular and strapping and barely reacts to the impact.  His arms encircle her.  She struggles briefly, to no avail.

“What a nice surprise.  Doing some banking?  I understand that your funds are pretty low these days.”

“How do you know that, Juan?”

“Nice thing about being the son of the City Council President, I have all these sources only too happy to do favors for me.  I’d be happy to help you out if you need money.  You know you can always lean on me.  I’m here for you.”

She wants to spit out at him that she is broke because of him, but simply says that she is okay. 

“Why won’t you let me help you, Baby Doll?  You know that would make me so happy.  You can trust me.  I just want to take care of you.  At least let me drive you home.”

“No thank you.”

“Did anything awful happen to you when I drove you home from the grocery store?  Did I hurt you in any way?  No.  Don’t you think you’re being paranoid?  Really, Mary Margaret, be grateful that I’m so patient with you.”

He sighs and releases her from his arms. 

“It makes me sad that you won’t accept anything from me.  I could be so good to you.  I’d make your life so easy.  All you’d need to do is surrender to me.  You’d never want for anything ever again.  You’d never have to lift a finger.  I’d treat you like a queen.”

“I’m sorry, Juan.  It just won’t work.”

He sighs and hangs his head. 

“Then I’ll say goodbye.”

He turns and walks away, leaving Mary Margaret alone on the street.

 

Juan stops sitting in his car outside her house.  For the next four nights, her phone does not ring, but she is unable to sleep for anticipating Juan’s late night calls.  On the fifth evening, she goes to bed feeling a bit of relief.  Maybe he finally got the message.  She falls asleep quickly, exhausted.


	5. Sneak Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein someone wicked this way comes

Mary Margaret struggles awake, confused and frightened by sounds coming from the living room.  As her eyes adjust, she makes out a dark form entering her bedroom.  This is no dream.  It is, however, a nightmare.  Juan is there.  In her room.  He is dressed completely in black.  She starts to scream but he moves swiftly to the bed and covers her mouth with his hand.  Something sharp and metallic presses against her throat.  She knows it’s a knife.

“Shhh….shhh.  No need to be afraid.  We’re going to have a little fun, Baby Doll.  Just me and you.  You want that, don’t you?”

His smile is menacing.

“You want that, don’t you?” he repeats, this time harshly.  Eyes wide with terror, she nods. 

“Good.  Now I’m going to take away my hand, and you’re going to be quiet, aren’t you?”

She nods again, tears spilling from her eyes.

Juan uncovers Mary Margaret’s mouth and then kisses her.  He doesn’t close his eyes.   She smells alcohol on his breath.  His hand twists in a long lock of her hair and brings it to his cheek. 

“I love your hair.  It’s so pretty.  You’re going to be a good, obedient girl for me.  Tell me you are.”

The knife jabs. 

“I am.”

“What are you going to be for me?”

“Good.”

“And?”

“Obedient.”

“Because I’m the boss, right?”

“Yes.”

“Kiss me.  Tell me you love me.”

“Juan, please….”

“Tell me!”

“I love you.”

“Now kiss me.  And mean it.”

She is shaking.  She presses her lips to his.

“Oh, I like that!  Quivering with anticipation.  Don’t worry.  I won’t disappoint you.  But what’s the rush?  We have all the time in the world.”

“Please, Juan…”

“Are you so eager that you’re begging me for it?  Are you begging me for it?”

“Don’t hurt me, Juan.  Please.”

“I’d never hurt you, Baby Doll.  I just want us to have some fun together.”

“It’s not fun when there’s a knife to my throat.”

His face darkens with rage.

“Well, there wouldn’t be if you’d be good otherwise.  You only listen to me when I show you who’s boss.  I’d rather not have to do this.  You make me do this.  You’re a bad girl.”

“I’m sorry, Juan.  I’ll be good.  Please don’t hurt me.”

“That’s my baby.  Now what would you like to do first?”

“Whatever you want, Juan.”

“Whatever I want?  Why?”

“Because you’re the boss.”

“Good girl.  You’re learning.  Take off your nightgown.  I want to see you.”

She begins to sob hysterically.

“You promised you’d be good.  Take it off.  Don’t make me cut it off of you.”

Her hands are shaking so hard that she can’t quite manage to pull the gown over her head.  Juan impatiently yanks it, catching her earring and hurting her.  She cries out.

Juan’s face is contrite.

“Oh, my baby, I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean to cause you pain.  You were being so good.  I just wanted to help. 

Her ear lobe is bleeding.  Juan licks at it. 

“I’ve made you bleed.  Like a virgin.  That’s so hot.” 

His breathing quickens. 

“Are you a virgin, Mary Margaret?”

“No.”

“You should have saved yourself for me.”

“Yes, Juan.  I should have.  I’m sorry.”

“No matter.  You’re mine now.  Only mine.  Say it.”

“Yours, Juan.”

“Let me look at you.  You’re so beautiful.  Put your arms down.  Quit covering yourself.”

He strokes her breasts.  Involuntarily, she shrinks from his touch.  He backhands her cheek.

“Quit playing games, bitch.  I know you want me.  Don’t pretend you don’t.”

“I’m sorry, Juan.”

“We both know you’re no lady, don’t we?  You’re dirty.  You’re a cunt.  You want me.  Say it.  SAY IT!”

“I want you.”

“Who?  Who do you want?”

“You, Juan.  I want you.”

“You love me.”

“Yes.”

“Unzip my pants.”

“Please, Juan…”

“No need to beg me, Mary Margaret.  I’m going to give it to you now.”

Juan makes her kneel in front of him and place his cock in her mouth, but then pulls away. 

“I’m no rapist, but I could be if I wanted to.  Just remember that.  Good thing for you I love you too much to do such a thing.”

He requires her to thank him for loving her that much.

When Juan finally leaves, Mary Margaret crawls into a dark corner and pulls a blanket over herself. 


	6. Evasive Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein countermeasures are attempted

With her usual courtesy, even in extremis, Mary Margaret waits until 9:00 AM to call Lucrezia. 

“Would you please come over as soon as you can?  I need to talk to you.”

“What’s wrong?  You sound terrible!  Has something happened?”

“Yes.  Please come.”

“It’s Juan, isn’t it?  What the hell did he do?”

“Just come over, Lucrezia.  Please.”

 

Mary Margaret is not really surprised to see that Lucrezia has brought Cesare with her.  The two don’t seem to be able to function without each other.  Maybe it’s just as well that a man is here to remind her that not all men are like Juan.

The three of them sit at the kitchen table. 

The coffee and bagel that Lucrezia has brought her remind Mary Margaret that she is parched.  She takes a big gulp of the dark roast that she loves and then meets her friend’s anxious eyes. 

“Tell me what Juan did.”

“He broke in last night and held me at knifepoint.”

“Oh, my God!”

“He was drunk.  He made me….um… he made me…”

“Mary Margaret, no…”

She takes a deep breath.

“He made me get undressed.  He put his penis in my mouth, but then he backed off.  He said he wasn’t a rapist.”

Cesare snorts. 

“Not a rapist?  Apparently I’m missing something.  Mary Margaret, I’m so sorry.  You have to report this to the police.”

“I can’t.  They didn’t take me seriously before.  They won’t help me now.  They’re not about to mess with Councilman Borgia’s son.”

Lucrezia spreads her hands helplessly.

“We’ve got to do something, Mary Margaret.  We have to stop him somehow.”

“I’m going to leave town, Lucrezia.  It’s the only thing I know to do.  I have a cousin in Cincinnati who could put me up for a while.  I hate to ask this, but….could you maybe lend me some money?  Just a couple of bucks until I get on my feet. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

“Of course.  Whatever you need.  But must it come to that?  Must you completely uproot your life?”

“I don’t know what else to do.  He knows where I live.  He watches me.  He follows me.  For all I know, he taps in to my phone calls.  I can’t get away from him.  He threatens me.  I’m afraid, Lucrezia!  I’m afraid to leave the house and afraid to stay in it.  I’m afraid to take a bath.  I’m afraid to sleep.  I lost my job.  I have no money.  I don’t know where to turn.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong, yet you’re the one being punished.  It doesn’t make sense.  It’s just not right.  This is all my fault.  I should never have gotten you mixed up with that sick bastard.”

“Don’t, Lucrezia.  It’s not your fault.  Placing blame is pointless.  If you and Cesare could just help me to quietly get out of town, I’d be so grateful.”

Cesare’s jaw muscles tense and release.  He kneels beside her chair and gazes earnestly into her eyes. 

“Don’t worry, Mary Margaret.  We’ll take care of you.”

She flings her arms around him and sobs.  He gently embraces her while she buries her face against his shoulder. 

“It’ll be all right, Triple M,” Lucrezia assures her friend.  “We’ll help you pack some clothes and take you to a hotel for now. You’ll be safe there.”

 

Mary Margaret’s cell phone rings with a text message.  She doesn’t recognize the number of the caller.

_“I’m using a burner phone just to be cautious.  Meet me downstairs in the hotel bar.  Important.  Lucrezia.”_

She opens the door to go to meet Lucrezia and sees too late that Juan is outside.  He shoves her back into her room and onto the bed.  

“Going somewhere, Mary Margaret?”

He tosses a cell phone down beside her.

“Handy things, these burner phones.  I’ll ask again.  Going somewhere?”

“Juan, I just want to live in peace.  I don’t want to cause you any trouble.  Please let me go.”

“You don’t _know_ the trouble you’ve caused me.  I had to ask the cops to locate you.  Do you know how embarrassing that was?  The questions they asked?  I had to tell them that you stole from me.  They wanted to arrest you!  If it weren’t for me, you’d be in jail now!  But I wouldn’t let them do that.  Not to my girl.  I told them I could handle it if they just found you for me.  See how I love you, Mary Margaret?  See how I look out for you?  And how do you reward me?  By trying to run away from me.  Don’t you know by now that I’ll never let you go?”

“Juan, if I’m so much trouble, why do you care for me?  Why don’t you want to be rid of me?”

“Because I know that one day you’ll come to your senses and realize what you have with me.  I’m patient.  I love you enough to be patient.”

He moves in closer to her. 

“You’re so beautiful.  Such a beautiful face.  Such lovely hair.  If you weren’t so beautiful, nobody else would want you.  But I still would.”

His knife flashes close to her face.  Mary Margaret screams.  Juan grabs her by the hair and hacks at it with his knife.  Big handfuls of rich, chestnut tresses fall to the floor.  She screams and screams.  By the time she hears pounding on the door, her hair has been chopped close to her scalp.  The hotel manager unlocks the door and several burly police officers train their guns on Juan. 

“Drop the knife, Juan.  We don’t want to hurt you, but you have to drop the knife.”

He complies with a smile. 

“We need you to come with us now.”

“Of course, officers.  You have my full cooperation.”

He blows a kiss to Mary Margaret before the police take him by the arms and lead him away.  They do not handcuff him.  He is the son of Rodrigo Borgia. 

An officer remains with Mary Margaret. 

“Miss, I’m going to need you to come to the station and make a statement.  Is there anything you can use to cover your head?  I just want to spare you embarrassment.”

She goes into the bathroom to get a towel and cringes in horror when she sees herself reflected in the mirror.  She drapes the towel over her head and passes through the door which the officer has opened for her.  The hall is lined with hotel guests gawking at her.  The officer puts his arm around her and leads her through the gauntlet. 

“Is there someone I can call for you?”

“No, thank you.  There’s no one.”


	7. White Flag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein our tale comes to a conclusion

Mary Margaret isn’t answering her phone.  She isn’t at the hotel.  The desk clerk tells Cesare and Lucrezia that there has been “an incident” and police were called.  The siblings learn that Mary Margaret has been taken to her home and they go to check on her.  Lucrezia uses the spare key her friend had given her.  They call out to her but there is no reply.  They search the house.  Cesare goes to the basement. 

“Lucrezia!  Call 9-1-1.  Don’t come down here.  Just call 9-1-1.”

“What is it?  WHAT IS IT?”

“Honey, Mary Margaret hung herself.  She’s dead.”

Lucrezia shrieks and starts to run.  Cesare rushes upstairs and intercepts her on her way to the basement.  He holds her tightly to him.

“Don’t.  Don’t go down there.  You can’t help her.”

“Are you sure she’s dead?  Are you sure?  Maybe we can still save her!”

“She’s gone, baby.  I’m sorry.  We have to call the police now.  That’s all we can do.”

The police and crime scene specialists wrap up their investigation quickly.  It is obviously a suicide.  The medical examiner confirms their findings. 

Juan’s lawyer gets charges bargained down to disorderly conduct and he pays a fine.  Nobody saw him lay hands on Mary Margaret.  She may well have cut off her own hair.  She was pretty hysterical over the past couple of weeks.  Who knows what someone in her state of mind could have done?

 

Cesare drives Rodrigo to his office downtown after Mary Margaret’s burial. 

“Tragic mess, isn’t it, son?  The loss of a young life.  How sad that she had no family other than the cousin from out of town.  Paying for her funeral was the least I could do.”

Cesare taps his fingers on the steering wheel and clenches his jaw but says nothing. 

“Your brother is very upset.  Truly contrite.”

“Really?  And how long will that last?”

“I’m sure he will never do anything like this ever again.”

“You say that every time you get him out of arrests for drunk driving.  And fighting in bars.  And beating up hookers.  And…I could go on and on.  Now someone winds up dead.”

“Most unfortunate turn of events.  The situation with that poor girl just spun out of control.”

“Did it ever occur to you that the wrong person died?”

“What a horrible thing to say!  Juan is your brother.  We had to deal with what was provoking him to behave badly.”

“Well, it’s done.  And now you’d better never give me any more shit about Lucrezia and me.”

“I made you a promise, didn’t I?  I keep my word.”

They are silent for some time.  Then Rodrigo speaks.

“Were you there?”

“Yes.  If she hadn’t seen me through the window, she wouldn’t have let us in.”

 “Your man did a good job for us.”

“He’s the best.”

“What did you say his name was?”

“Micheletto.  Micheletto Corella.”


End file.
